


Tigers & Sharks

by tattoodblackheart



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Angst, F/F, Police, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-10 18:31:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8928379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tattoodblackheart/pseuds/tattoodblackheart
Summary: Ashlyn is a homicide detective for the PPD (Portland Police Department) alongside her best friend Kelley O'Hara, but when a familiar face is bought in for questioning when a new case is bought forward, can Ashlyn let her feelings for a certain brunette be pushed aside or will she find it difficult to forget past memories.





	1. Act I - The Eye of the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> I am a huge sucker for police dramas my life basically revolves around Criminal Minds, Rizzoli and Isles you name it I've binge watched it and lost sleep over it. I originally wrote this ages ago for a friend but decided to adapt it to Krashlyn, because again I am a sucker for them. 
> 
> This was originally intended to be a one shot but this may start to be a mini fic.

**_Rose Kennedy once said, “Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn’t people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?”_ **

_________________

_As soon as she stepped foot in that small room, the room with just a steel table and a steel chair either side of it, she felt the next few minutes go by painfully slow. More painful than they would usually in these situations. This was her job, she had dealt with this on a weekly, daily basis. But sitting in front of that familiar face again was proving difficult. The atmosphere felt dry and cold. The tension was unbearable. And every little sound was being magnified ten times. Was this a joke? A sick joke someone was playing on her? But she had to do her job. So she did. To the best that she could. To the way she knew how._

_______

“So here in your file it says-“ But she was cut off. 

“Is that all I am to you now? A file?” – She looked up at the small girl sat opposite her, her head was down, playing with the dirt that was apparent under her nails. She was closing herself off. She always did this.

“Miss Krieger I’m just doing my job” – She replied calmly, her professionalism washing over her like a calm breeze. The girl in front of her just looked down, her dark hair flowing down over her face. She looked pale, her usual tanned skin washed off of her skin. Her clothes were dirty and worn, her features looked sunken in. She looked broken. 

“It says here that you made a domestic violence claim against your partner today, is that true?” – She looked up from the file in her hands to the familiar girl sat in front of her, she raised her head and looked at her with confusion plastered across her face.

“Are you serious? Of course it’s true!” – The older girl raised her voice slightly as she kept her eyes on the younger girl sat opposite her.

“Do you have any evidence to back this claim?” – She was following protocol.

“Really?!” – She was growing more and more impatient.

“Ma’am it’s just procedure” – She replied calmly as the girl stood up and lifted her shirt to reveal her lower stomach. The detective got up out her seat and walked over to her, bending down to inspect the markings on the girls body. She placed her thumb over one of the bruises only to be welcomed with a jolt and hiss of pain from the other girl.

“Sorry” – She whispered a small apology at her before applying some pressure on the pale skin and stretching it gently at different points to examine the multiple markings. Once she finished, she took out her phone and took a quick photo, before straightening up, taking the girls head in her hands and brushing some hair aside from her temple area. The marks there weren’t as noticeable as the split lip and slight black eye that was forming were, but to a detective they were staring her right in the face. The older girl, only by a year, kept her eyes away as she was examined, shallowing the lump in her throat that was forming from being touched by familiar hands. After inspecting the bruising and slight lacerations, she took a few photos of each marking and walked back over to her chair, settling herself back down, picking up her pen, flicking to a page in her file and scribbling down some notes.

“What are you writing?” – A small voice from across the table rang out.

“Just that from inspection the bruising and lacerations on your body are not self inflicted that they were inflicted by a blunt object and there is definite sign of foul play, the object however I can’t determine at this point” – She kept her eyes on the girl sat in front of her. Her body language had changed she wasn’t slumped in her seat she’d regained some confidence in her body. Some. Not a lot.

“So you believe me?” – Her voice was still small and quiet. The detective looked at her with calm eyes, sighed before replying.

“Of course I do, now I just have a few more questions that are procedure if you don’t mind?” – The girl just nodded, her attention had dropped back to her hands. Anxiety. She always had it in uncomfortable situations. 

“Now, how long have you been with your partner?” – She asked calmly, picking her pen up again.

“Nearly a year”

“I’m gonna have to ask you to be specific”

“9 months” – She just nodded as I made a note down in her file.

“Have you had any previous experience of these altercations in your relationship?” – They just shook their head, eyesight still dropped down, as they made a final note in their file, closed it and got up onto their feet.

“Thank you, now if you have any questions for me I’d suggest you say them now” – She just shook their head. 

“Alright, another agent will be in to draw up a sketch if you’re willing to press charges.. Thank you for your time Miss Krieger” – And she left the girl. Walking out the cold room towards her desk, dropping the file on her desk and burying her head in her hands and letting out a frustrated sigh. 

“You alright?” – A voice rang through her ears, she looked up to see her partner, O'Hara looking down at her.

“Yeah.. I just didn’t expect to see her here.. Of all the people we get coming in here and all the cases we end up being involved in.. Her..” – She let her eyes scan over O'Hara. She was a great friend. A great person. A great detective.

“I know Ash.. Just get home, get some rest you’ve been working non-stop all week what with that case you got put on-“ – But she cut her off.

“I will find that son of a bitch” – She replied harshly in a low voice, she picked up the file and threw it in her bag and picked it up, slinging it over her shoulder and grabbing her phone off her desk.

“I’m gonna take an early weekend.. If anyone needs me” – She just flashed her phone at her co-worker with a small smile and started her way out of the building, flashing her ID at security guards on her way out of the building, before crossing the parking lot and unlocking her car, dumping her bag in the passenger seat as she got in the drivers seat and pulling out the lot. Half an hour on the road, Ashlyn pulled up outside her apartment, shut off the car and grabbed her bag, shutting and locking her car before making her way up and into her apartment.

_______

Her apartment, usually well lit from the large panels of glass that clung to her walls in the open living room, was starting to fade to orange as the Portland day started to set around her, letting itself illuminate the odd couch or chair in the room. As she closed the door, locked it and made her way through to her bedroom, she tossed her bag onto her bed before falling onto the bed. Exhausted in every sense of the word. Physically and mentally. She loved her job but being a homicide detective and being put on call most days out of 7 leaves you drained. 

After letting a shower wash over her, she made her way into her bedroom and threw herself down onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling and shutting her eyes, letting her thoughts of the day wash over her. Why her.. Why.. Of all the people in the world.. her..

She pulled herself up onto her feet and walked over to her wardrobe, opening it, pulling out a white t-shirt with a slight v-neck and some loose shorts, slipping on some clean underwear and clothes, she ran a hand through her short hair before sitting back onto the bed with a small sigh. As soon as she’d shut her eyes again there was a bang. Her eyes shot open as she got up onto her feet and reached to her bedside draw, pulling out her Glock 22, arming herself as she walked through to the sound of the thud. Turning back into the hallway, pulling the hammer back on the gun and walking towards the living room, she flicked the light on in the room and aimed her weapon into the open room, emitting a scream from the person that was in there.

“SHIT!” – The person let out as they shielded their face, Ashlyn instantly dropped her weapon to her side with a sigh.

“Ali what are you doing here?” – She said as walked over to the armchair by the window.

“I came to talk to you, the door was stuck I stumbled over wait- were you gonna shoot me?!” – She said her voice rising considerably.

“You broke into my apartment!” – Ash shot back as she placed her weapon on the glass table next to her as she crossed her legs. 

“But no I wouldn’t do that..” – She said as she released the magazine from her gun and set it next to it on the table. Soon silence fell upon them.

“Ali sit down…” – And she did, sitting in the chair opposite her. “Why did you come here? I want the truth” – She asked calmly, looking into the eyes she’d once longed to look into when she woke up in the mornings.

“I…I err.. I needed to.. get a-away from h-him.. I didn’t know where else to g-go.. I’m sorry” – And with that Ash's heart sunk. She let out a sigh as she saw Ali's body language completely change, vulnerability wash over her and start shaking as tears soon fell down her face. She got up onto her feet and knelt in front of the girl she’d held so dear to her heart for years, hesitantly taking hold of her hand in hers and brushing her tears off her face.

“Look at me.. “ – She said just above a whisper as the Ali looked up, her eyes bloodshot.

“I am so sorry that I was never there... because if I had of... none of this would be happening to you.. you wouldn’t have been in a relationship with an asshole that fucking beats you!” – Ash could feel the anger building inside of her but she pushed it down.

“I wish I’d been there Alex I do.. I am so so sorry.. I never wanted this for you.. I only ever wanted the best for you.. but I will find him and make him pay.. ” – She continued as she felt Ali tighten the grip on her hand, her eyes burying themselves into Ash's, searching for something. An answer maybe.. Ashlyn couldn’t tell.

“What’re you trying to tell me Al?” – Ali hesitated before leaning down and pressing her lips against Ashlyn's lightly, before pulling inches away, but Ash needed more. She quickly closed the gap between them and pressed her lips firmly against Ali's, wrapping her arm around her back and pulling her towards her. As if their bodies could mould to each other. As she finally pulled away she rested her forehead against Ali's, letting their breath wash over each other. She’d missed this. The girl she’d devoted her life to for 3 years. Was in her arms again.

“I missed you Ash..”

“I missed you too.. You’re safe now..”   


	2. Act II - Information is Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revelations come to those who wonder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's have a guess what game I've been obsessed with lately.

_“Nietzsche once said. “When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks into you.”_  
****

 

___________

 

 

Ashlyn woke to light shuffling noises coming from in the room, she opened her eyes slowly to see that Ali was pacing around the room looking for, she assumed a pair of jeans considering she was just clad in a pair of boxers and a t shirt. She smiled fondly at the familiar site, Ali always had a habit of loosing some item of clothing either in the morning or the night before, even if she knew where she'd kept it before hand. 

"You alright over there?" - Ashlyn announced from her spot in bed still, startling the shorter brunette slightly.

"Jesus!! I didn't know you were awake!" - She jumped slightly clutching at a pair of jeans she'd picked up from the mass of clothes scattered across the bedroom floor. 

"Yeah I heard you shuffling about I thought someone had broke in I was ready to pounce on them" - Ashlyn remarked dryly as she ran a hand through her short brown hair. 

"Really? You'd pounce on someone looking for a pair of pants?" - Ali replied as she pulled the jeans up her legs.

"For real! Also those are mine Ali" - Ash replied pointing to the tight clothing that clung to Ali's legs. Ali looked down noticing the mistake she'd made and blushed slightly, starting to remove them.

"Hey don't you can keep them it's cool" - Ash said getting out of bed as Ali stopped her movements and did them back up as she shot Ashlyn a small smile.

"Plus they always looked better on you" - It slipped out Ash didn't mean to say it. She kicked herself for saying that out loud she meant to just think it, she looked away from the girl she'd spent almost 4 years of her life with. Silence quickly fell among the two. 

“I’m just gonna get changed do you need a ride back home or.. to your parents or something?” - Ash offered thinking fast for a solution out of this small hole of awkwardness.

“Um no its fine I’ll call a cab I don’t wanna put you out..” - Ali passed on the conversation, Ashlyn was pulling a black PPD t shirt on when she heard Ali make another move.

“Thanks for um.. letting me crash here last night and I’m sorry I didn’t mean to break into your apartment I mean I wasn’t even sure if you still lived here and come to think of it if you hadn’t I’d of broken into a strangers apartment so maybe I’d of seen you again anyway this time being arrested for breaking and entering” - Ali let a small laugh out as she caught Ash’s eyes. They were holding her gaze and listening to every word. Reading her every thought.

“Anyway thank you” - Ali had finished what she was saying and sent a small smile Ash’s way before turning round and grabbing her jacket off the dresser by the door, opening it and exiting. 

Ashlyn stood there dumbfound by what she was feeling, did she miss this girl more than she had thought? Getting over Ali had been the hardest thing she’d ever have to do and that was on top of being shot in the leg and almost loosing it, almost loosing her brother and having put her life and the others closest to her in danger for so many years but loosing that brunette? No competition. 

She quickly pulled on some cargo pants and a zip up hoodie before heading out the bedroom door just catching Ali opening the front door.

“Wait Ali!!” - Ash picked up her pace and got to the door in time, Ali let go of the handle, turning to look at the cop who’d got her arm across the door frame stopping it from closing.

“I meant everything I said last night Al, about being here and keeping you safe, you know I always wanted that for you, for to be safe I know it was never easy and i kick myself ever day knowing that I was the reason for those years of misery.” - Ali just stood there keeping her eyes on Ash, she knew everything Ashlyn was saying was true it was just the reality of what scenarios they were in that was never going to change.

“Alex you don’t need to go back there I can help you, you can stay here I know it’d be weird but-“

“Ash its not that it wouldn’t be weird last night was great, believe it or not being that close to you again was something I knew I’d missed but didn’t realise how much but this.. this.. us.. it’s never going to work again no matter how much you fight for it you’re always going to be putting the ones you love at danger.. You can’t protect me anymore” - Ashlyn couldn’t believe what Ali was saying to her, after so many years it was still down tot this.

“Alex-“ - Ali cut her off again this time not with words but by pressing her lips against hers, it was short but enough to shut her up, she pulled away resting her hands on the taller girls chest and her forehead against hers.

“Ash.. while you’re a cop or better yet a homicide detective we can’t be together because no matter how much you try you’re too involved in your job” - Just as she said that Ash heard her phone go off, signalling that the station or Kelley was calling her, she heard Ali let a small laugh escape her.

“See.. I know that ringer and I know you.. go be the hero I know you are” - She pushed herself away from Ash and out the door, letting Ashlyn’s arm fall from the door frame. She let out a breath and ran a hand through her hair before answering her phone.

“Harris”

“Yo Ash its your favourite neighbourhood squirrel” - Ash let a small laugh out, what the fuck did she do to deserve Kelley as her partner she’d never know. She was a brilliant detective but christ the girl drove her up the wall sometimes.

“Whats up dude?” - Ash answered as she slipped into a pair of short black boots and grabbed her car keys, department ID and made her way out the apartment.

“Yano that case you were working on” - That’s a bit vague Kelley I work on about three at once she thought as she made her decent down the apartment complex stairs.

“Be more specific I’m working on three at the moment” - She told her partner as she made it to the bottom of the stairwell, opening to the door to the lobby and making her way out the front doors.

“The McLeary case” - Ash was hesitant on whether she wanted to know where this was going.

“Yeah..” - She replied wearily as she opened the front door, zipping her hoodie up and pulling her hood up before making her way towards the adjacent parking lot the apartment complex owned.

“We got a new lead” - The words didn’t register with her straight away it took her a few minutes to process what she’d just heard.

“Ash you there? Did I accidentally hang up with my face again goddammit”

“No Kel you’re all good I’m on my way in you can tell me more then okay?” - Ash made her way to where her car was stored, punching in the 4 digit pass code for the parking garage.

“No need say Hi Kel” - Ash was confused she looked over to her car and saw her partner sat on the hood of her black mustang, she hung up and stuffed her phone in her pocket.

“Okay first of all how long have you been sat here and second how the fuck did you get in here its a 4 digit pass code thats personalised” - Kelley just sat here eating, nothing unusual there, out a takeout container before pointing her plastic fork at Ash.

“Oh you! Not long actually I kinda gathered you’d be at the station for about 11 or 12 anyway so I just kinda guessed and yeah your pass code? Dude I just guessed what the most important date would be to you and it was right also your place is right next to the best Chinese takeout, did you know they do the best noodle surprise box in Portland I swear those people are gods among people” - Ash just stood there taking in all the information her best friend was spouting at her all with a mouth full of noodles.

“Right get in lets go also if you get any of that noodle crap on my seats I will make a new noodle surprise box that has squirrel in it” - She warned Kelley, the smaller girls eyes going wide at the thought of it, Ash just smiled and raised an eyebrow comically as she opened up her car and climbed in. 

“So protective of your car that you’d harm a small innocent squirrel in the process” - Kelley stated as she discreetly forked another lot of noodles in her mouth. Ash had already started up the car and was pulling out the parking lot before she noticed. Kelley was mid way putting another forkful in her mouth as Ash wound her window down, grabbed the container off Kelley and threw it out the window.

“DUDE MY NOODLES!” - Kelley erupted at her friend.

“Told you not to eat in my car Kel” - Ash warned her friend as she pulled the window back up and making a left onto the interstate towards the station.

“You said not to get it on your seats!” - Kelley was trying to reason with her best friend over the loss of her noodles.

“Yeah but I know what you’re like with food Kelley you’ve already got noodle stains down your jacket”

"But my noodles!” - Kelley whined slumping back into the passenger seat and crossing her arms.

“You’re such a child I will buy you all the noodles you want later”

“Good because they were amazing.. they had bits of shrimp in” - Kelley continued to spout on and on about what was in her noodles and why they were better than anything she’d ever had before. Ash being the best friend that she is tuned her out before pulling into the station parking lot.

Even when they got out the car Kelley was still going on about her damn noodles.

“I swear to fuck Kel you say noodle one more time I will turn you into a fucking noodle!” Ash told her partner as they made their way through the station towards the briefing room, flashing their ID when needed. 

________

 

They opened the large glass doors that inhabited the briefing room to see their captain, back to them staring at the board that held all the information to do with the McLeary case they’d collected so far.

“I’m glad you guys are here so soon” - Their captain announced back still turned to them.

“Anytime.. Cap you know how much this case has been on my mind” - Ash replied as she took a seat in the chair surrounding the large oval table in the centre of the room, Kelley soon following suit. Their captain turning round and facing them both.

“Harris as you know you’ve been working on this case for 5 months now but still we found no evidence to say that McLeary was 100% the suspect in this case well as of today we have evidence to prove he does. The prints you gathered off the domestic violence case that was reported yesterday link up to the prints found at the last murder scene all belonging to McLeary” - Ash froze. The case from yesterday was the case with Ali. Fuck. Ali.

“We need to find this guy before he makes another move and takes another innocent life in the process.. Harris you’re in charge” - But Ash didn’t hear her. She was staring straight ahead towards the board with McLeary’s mugshot on.

“Harris did you hear me” - Ash snapped out of her daze and focused back on her captain.

“I want you to lead this investigation further, this will be your primary case the others can get passed onto other in the division, you and O’Hara are to work on building a team and a brief on how to go forward with this. I want you on this because you’re the best at what you do, you have the most arrests on record and I know you can find this guy and bring him down” - She listened to the words her captain was saying to her, she knew she could find this guy but lately she’d come up with nothing but loose ends, maybe what happened to Ali was a blessing. A sick blessing.

“With all due respect Captain Solo I only want one more person working on this with me I don’t need to work on building a team me and O’Hara have been working with this person for as long as we know.” - Ash informed her captain as she stood up.

“Who?” - Solo raised an eyebrow at her best agent.

“Technically they don’t work for us anymore but they still run an underground hacking network they’re the only person I know that could get the information we need on McLeary and whoever he’s working for or with” - Solo’s expression fell and turned to one that Ashlyn couldn’t read.

“it better not be who I think it is Harris” - Ash knew that she knew how good this person was and how much power they held.

“That’s right. Heath".

“Absolutely no way Harris! Heath is a corrupt agent there’s no way I’m allowing her on this case!” - Ashlyn just stood there looking at her captain and smiled.

“She has a lot of information at her fingertips Cap, there’s no one else not even Morgan has that much power” - She could see her captain was defeated.

“Fine but I don’t want her anywhere in this building she uses her own equipment and I want nothing to dow with her.”

“Remember Cap.. Information is power.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter Tobin.


	3. Act III - Hackers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our favourite hacker is here to save the day.

 

_Robert Oxton Bolt once wrote, “A belief is not merely an idea the mind possesses; it is an idea that possesses the mind.”_

 

________________________________

 

 

 

"I don't particularly give a fuck about what Captain Solo thinks KO she knows that Heath is the best person to have on this case she just can't see past the suits" - Ash had been trying to explain to Kelley why their captain despised their long term friend so much. She'd been working for the police department as a technical analyst and found herself digging up some information on some cops within the department that weren't being as truthful as people were led to believe. To cut a long story short she was found out and got the boot pretty damn quick. But here Ash was years later still in contact and still close to such a dear friend.

 

"The suits?" - Her partner questioned from the passenger seat of Ash's mustang, currently chomping down on a three musketeers bar.

 

"The people above her that fuck around in suits all day and go for business lunches to discuss how they can cut the Police Departments budgets and insist they're making a difference while they sip their 10 dollar Martini's" - Kelley sat there staring at her friend, a mouthful of chocolate, surprised she'd gone off on one about the people above their boss.

 

"Take if you don't like them then Ash" - Ash just turned to her partner with a small smile before grabbing her backpack and opening the door.

 

"They can go fuck themselves" - Kelley just nodded and got out the car, making her way around it tripping up something and dropping the remainder of her candy bar on the floor.

 

"You have got to be kidding me!?" - Ash turned around and saw her small friend looking up at her with the most defeated and heartbroken look on her face.

 

"First the noodles and now this?! Today can go suck a big one. I'm so done dude" - She started to walk alongside her partner as Ash slung her arm around her and making their way towards a run down industrial compound. Ash could just about remember where the entrance was, she turned a corner and found an old broken fire exit with a gas pipe holding it shut. She pulled the gas pipe out and tapped it 4 times on the door in quick succession, after a few moments she heard the door unlock. She placed the pipe under a sheet of tarpaulin that was next to the door and made her way inside.

 

Instantly greeted with a deserted lobby room she saw the elevator to the right and the familiar set of spiralling metal stairs that led down to the basement to her left. Knowing that the elevator had never been in service she pulled Kelley, who was muttering something about the loss of her 3 musketeers bar, towards the stairs and they made their descent. 

 

____________

 

"How many goddamn stairs are there Ash I swear I'm gonna pull a hammy!"

 

"Just through that door" - She pointed forward as she got to the end of the stairs, her partner following suit, she pulled open the hatch to the door and made her way into the spacious room.

 

"Nice to see you again Ash.. KO" - A voice from across the room announced.

 

"Nice to see you're checking up on your visitors" - Ash replied pointing to the surveillance system on the wall, the figure laughed and emerged from the dark more.

 

"Gotta be a good host for my friends" - They walked forward and enveloped the two of them in warm embraces. 

 

"You're looking good Tobin" - Ash couldn't help but admire her friend, kicked out of the police force, lost her apartment because of it and now runs her own hacking network and is completely self sufficient. A true believer to going "fuck you to authorities", if you can't work with them work against them. 

 

"You both look great too.. Nice to see the police department haven't completely ruined your sense of self" - Tobin made her way over to the leather couch, situated by a short table that housed her police scanner. Another way she liked to keep up to date on her friends. Ash and Kelley followed and took a seat on the black couch opposite Tobin, Ashlyn took a small breath and began to explain to Tobin why they'd come here.

 

"So Tob-" 

 

"You need my help finding someone don't you" - No matter how long Ash had knew Tobin her ability to know what people wanted always staggered her.

 

"Yeah it's this case" - She pulled the case file out her bag and dumped it on the table in front of Tobin. Tobin pulled it towards her and leaned forward, flicked it open and started to read it.

 

"You're going after this guy?" - Tobin didnt so much ask but state as she got up and walked over to the drinks cabinet.

 

"With your help Tobs" - Ash got up off the couch, stood assertively as she watched her friend.

 

"I've been trying to take down McLeary for 5 years" - Tobin took a look at her friends and took a mouthful of her drink.

 

"What you know him?" - Kelley soon piped up from her position on the couch, Tobin downed her drink and made herself another, along with one for Ash and Kelley, then making her way over to the couch, setting the drinks down and taking hers in her hand.

 

"He was the majority of the reason why my whole network was so hard to get stable he kept probing in places he shouldn't have" - She stopped briefly to take a sip of her drink and leaning back staring straight at her friends.

 

"He's got his own network of hackers it's not gonna be long until his guys worm their way into your system if they haven't already, I wouldn't tell you this if I didn't know that McLeary isn't one to fuck with Ash he's powerful I hope you know what you're going up against" - Silence soon fell among the three friends. Ash sat and absorbed everything Tobin had told her, she knew that she was a good enough cop to take him down, she knew Kelley was and she knew that Tobin was the one with the information to get them in, she had no doubt in her mind that she could do this no matter how dangerous it was.

 

"I wouldn't ask you if I, we, couldn't take him down Tob. I can't do this without you and if you say yes to helping me I promise that I'll have your name cleared at the department and get you reinstated if you want" - Ash knew it was a long shot but it was worth a try, she watched as Tobin finished her drink and set her glass down, extending her hand to the middle of the table.

 

"Ash I'll help you because I hate that son of a bitch but I'm not coming back not for anything so you can keep your deal.. this can be your deal" - The cop knew her friend was in, what she deemed the better position, so she wouldn't argue and shook her hand, Tobin extending a small smile her way.

 

"Tobs can I say something?" - Kelley had been unusually quiet throughout all this conversation but Tobin just nodded at the small cop.

 

"I just wanna say that it's great that you wanna help us with this I've really missed you but do you really think that the three of us can take a guy like McLeary down? Surely we're going to need some more firepower in this" - Kelley stood up and walked over to Tobin's cork-board, everyone the hacker had worked with in her career was on there.

 

"What about Long?" - Kelley had started to reel off names she saw on the board.

 

"Desk duty until she's recovered from a nasty bullet wound to her leg" - Tobin informed her friend before continuing. "Shame really she's a damn good field agent" 

 

"What about Morgan? Or Press?" - Kelley turned around and looked at Tobin who's expression had dropped.

 

"Are you saying they're better hackers than me KO?"

 

"No no I just thought-"

 

"Cause they're not! So before you wanna get more people on this remember that Press is a rookie who’s not long been a part of the department and doesn't have a lot of field experience and Alex?" - She paused.  "I swore I'd never talk to her again.. let alone work with her" - Ash just watched her friends body language disintegrate from powerful to vulnerable in seconds at the sound of a name.

 

"Tob.. we're gonna need more people.. you can lead them but you know yourself it's gonna take more than just one brilliant hacker to take down a guy like this you just said that thirty seconds ago and Morgan and Press are good at what they do just give them the benefit of the doubt you don't even have to like them just acknowledge that they're fucking good Tobin" - Ash had had enough, she wanted to take this guy down she needed the best, she needed her A Team. Tobin took a few minutes to calm herself down before replying to the brunette.

 

"Fine.. we can have Morgan and Press but you're gonna need some more firepower on the ground and you want the best we know so I suggest Johnston, Naeher and Leroux” - Tobin said pointing to each profile on the board.

 

“I thought that Leroux was out of active duty?” - Ash was confused she hadn’t heard anything from or about her former police partner in, well.. forever.

 

“She went dark for while after an undercover operation went wrong she had to just drop off the radar to avoid being found by the wrong people” - Tobin explained briefly not wanting to go into detail, it wasn’t her place to say what had happened to their friend. She’d started pinning everyones profile photos on a different board as she spoke.

 

“Right that’s everyone you need Harris” - She stood back from the board, crossing her arms and surveying it with the two cops. Ash took moment to gather her thoughts, taking everything in all the information she’d been gathering on McLeary, all the intel that Tobin had on him, the team she now had. It was enough. This was all going to be enough and she was going to put an end to this.

 

“Make some calls get everyone here as soon as we can…”

 

“Ash are you seriously?-“ - But Ash cut her partner off.

 

“We start this now"


End file.
